Observation of ice-like water layers at an aqueous protein surface

Konrad Meister, Simona Strazdaite, Arthur L. DeVries, Stephan Lotze, Luuk L.C. Olijve, Ilja K. Voets, Huib J. Bakker

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

We study the properties of water at the surface of an antifreeze protein with femtosecond surface sum frequency generation spectroscopy. We find clear evidence for the presence of ice-like water layers at the ice-binding site of the protein in aqueous solution at temperatures above the freezing point. Decreasing the temperature to the biological working temperature of the protein (0°C to -2°C) increases the amount of ice-like water, while a single point mutation in the ice-binding site is observed to completely disrupt the ice-like character and to eliminate antifreeze activity. Our observations indicate that not the protein itself but ordered ice-like water layers are responsible for the recognition and binding to ice.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)17732-17736
Number of pages5
JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Volume111
Issue number50
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 16 2014

Keywords

  • Antifreeze proteins
  • Protein hydration
  • Sum frequency generation

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Observation of ice-like water layers at an aqueous protein surface'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this